


The Kids Aren’t Alright

by SilentiumSkies



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Angst, Multi, feels trip, music as a coping method, these kids need some real therapy, trauma processing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-23 22:37:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21327820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentiumSkies/pseuds/SilentiumSkies
Summary: Growing up hit the ninja hard when their unprocessed trauma started bubbling up to the surface, now it seems like no one ever feels ok or gets along, but maybe music can help them start to get better.The story is named after the song “The Kids Aren't Alright” by Fallout Boy and chapter is named after a song that will appear in it.
Relationships: Nya/Jay Walker
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first time I’m making something I’m writing public and I’m extremely nervous to see how it’s received, regardless writing this story started as a way for me to process my own trauma but soon became a passion project, I love these characters so much and I want to give them a story that helps them through their struggles as their stories helped me.

Cole was never good at expressing how he felt, he tended to bottle things up and suffer in silence. he did this feeling like if he talked to his friends about it they’d just be annoyed, all He wanted was to not be a burden on them. He was well aware this behavior wasn’t healthy, but he’s done it his whole life so it’s all he knows.

Cole’s rocky exterior harbored a guarded soul deep within, one that aches to be freed and able to feel openly. Unfortunately, until he lets himself open up, his soul will remain trapped and be buried deeper.

However, Cole was not the only one who seemed to be keeping a lid on things, he was just the scapegoat when the team started taking stuff out on each other. Their time spent aboard the bounty was like a bomb ticking down until the next argument, meltdown, and breakdown. 5 kids and a nindroid were just thrust into being ninja as teenagers and they didn’t really have a say in it, now as young adults they were falling apart from all the stress and trauma.

Cole and kai were contributing the most loud of the fights to the powder keg of repressed trauma. Nya was constantly irritated by the lack of boundaries and fighting. Zane was depressed he couldn’t seem to do anything to lift the Teams’ spirits. Lloyd was too torn up about losing his father, childhood, and now his uncle too to even think about leading. Jay had given up hope of the team coming back together stronger this time.

But maybe with some music… things will start feeling not so awful anymore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this story, Jay, Lloyd, and Cole are all trans, and no one is straight except maybe Misako, if you don’t like that this story isn’t for you.


	2. Despite What You’ve Been Told

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ninja take notice of the fact cole’s behavior is affecting everyone, but jay is the only one who can get to him about it. Cole starts to open up a tiny bit and lets jay know how he tries to listen to music that expresses how he feels and shares the first song with jay.

[ [song link] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOwH8BPvFnI)

The beloved flying ship known as the Destiny’s Bounty sailed above ninjago on a calm summer morning. Normally the ninja would stay at the floating temple and await distress signals but Nya had insisted. She wanted to get the ship up so the boosters didn’t start to rust, everyone reluctantly agreed to board. She thought it would be good for everyone but after about two days of being airborne, she regretted mentioning it. 

Cole was walking back to the quarters to just lie in bed and listen to his music, he didn’t want to run into kai and start something today, he honestly just wanted to be alone. the second he stepped foot into the room the day turned from calm to tense.

“JAY!” cole shouted into the ninja’s quarters upon stepping on dirty boxers. “God this couldn’t be how my day is starting.” he thought to himself, angry at his best friend for not cleaning up after himself.

Jay barrelled his way into the room releasing a shrill “WHAT?” agitated from being summoned. 

“You left your underwear on the floor again! Dude, we can’t keep cleaning up after you.” Cole sternly roasted his teammate, throwing the offending article of clothing at his head. Jay let out an “AGH!” of surprise.

“Stop being disgusting Jay! It’s simple!”

Jay whipped the boxers off his face. He was angry but he sighed and took a deep breath.

“Cole what is going on with you?” jay looked concerned. “Kai, and lloyd’s clothes are everywhere,” He gestured at the rest of the room “something’s bothering you and it’s not my underwear.” he knit his eyebrows searching for an explanation. 

Cole frowned sighing, “It’s not important ok, stepping on your stuff just set me off.” he shook his head frustrated with himself. “I’m sorry jay, I'm ...I'm just not doing so hot.” he pushed past his friend, heading to the door. 

Jay hurt whenever he saw cole like this, all he wanted was his friend to be ok, but he knew he couldn’t fix cole’s problems for him. That drove him nuts, not being able to magically make his friends ok, but he can’t force cole to open up to him. Jay still makes sure to offer his support whenever he can. 

He stopped cole at the door, “Dude, you know you can tell me anything? I'm just really worried about you, it feels like you’re doing worse than usual.” 

Cole batted his hand away. “Well I don’t want to talk, what’s so hard about that to get jay?” He tensed up. “Not everyone can speak as easily as you!” 

Jay reeled from that comment, obviously hurt. 

“Look you can’t keep holding things in and expecting us to forgive you every time you act out at us because you’re struggling. It doesn't give you a free card to be a jerk.” Jay turned away from cole and started picking up the clothes belonging to the other ninja, back to his friend obviously no longer in the mood to talk to him. 

Cole huffed and walked through the hall of the ship stewing in his mind. He knew he was losing his grip, and that his pain turning into anger has been getting him into trouble, he just didn’t like being reminded. Jay was right though, he shouldn’t be taking it out on his friends. 

Amidst him not paying attention, he walked right into Kai, who’s hot headed attitude and short temper immediately exploded. 

“Hey watch where the hell you’re going Cole! Get out of your little world sometime man, yeesh .” Cole shoved Kai. 

“FUCK OFF KAI I’M NOT IN THE MOOD, WHY DON’T YOU GO ROAST A SASAUGE ON YOUR HOT-HEADED EGO?”

“DUDE WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU BEING SUCH A DICK?” Kai shoved back.   
  


“YOU STARTED IT LAVABRAIN, IF YOU GAVE ME A DAMN SECOND I’D APOLOGIZE.”

Just like that, another mine had been set off and another day was going to be spent tiptoeing around each other to avoid anymore fights.

* * *

  
  
  


Back in the quarters, Jay lay on his side in his bunk. He was desperately trying to block out the sound of Cole and Kai screaming, something he found himself doing way too often now. 

He used to get involved to try to calm them down but he just ended up feeding into it and started screaming himself. Now he’s always in this situation, just staying where he is trying to ignore it until they’re done. 

Everyone used to get along so well but as the ninja grew older personal problems started bubbling to the surface regularly. The whole team had experienced a great deal of trauma when fighting for Ninjago, but there were also traumas from before they had become Sensei Wu’s students. 

The ninja had each other and they all seemed to get along for the longest time, but lately it appears that Cole and Kai can’t even exist in the same room without fighting. It created an endless cycle of them arguing and making up only to fight again later. 

Jay wasn’t the only one affected by the commotion, Nya made her way into the room absolutely done with the two idiots in the hall. She shut the door behind her and sat on the edge of Jay’s bed, resting her hand on his side. A sigh of stress escaped her body

“Nothing like waking up to two boys screaming, again.” she said irritated, softly rubbing jay’s arm. “I’m sorry cole keeps pulling you into his problems, I wish he would just,” she sighed. “What’s the point wishing won’t change anything, we learned that the hard way.” She looked down reminiscing about their encounter with Nadakhan the Djinn, only she and Jay even remembered what happened.

Jay sat himself up.

  
“What happened to us, Nya? We used to all be so close and now it’s like the only enemy we fight is each other!” Jay threw up his hands. “We try, and try, and try to get cole to talk about what’s going on, he refuses and-and gets mad at us!” He grabbed his hair in both hands, pulling it. 

“I know we’ve talked about this a lot but, even though he’s your best friend, there’s just going to be things you can’t do for him. If he wants to change and get better he has to make the choice.” Nya placed her hand on Jay’s shoulder trying to comfort him. 

“But I’m terrified he won’t ever make the choice and we’ll lose him” Jay admitted, not just to Nya but to himself.

Nya’s face took on a look of saddened shock, she spread her arms offering Jay a hug. Jay wrapped his arms around her and started to cry. She exhaled deeply holding him close and resting her head on his. To Nya, this was the last straw, she couldn’t bear to see her Boyfriend and brother being treated this way, especially by someone they called a friend. She ran around in her mind planning an ultimatum she wished she wouldn’t have to deliver to Cole.

* * *

  
  


The rest of the day passed slowly, weighed down by the heavy tension of the team. Zane had just finished cooking dinner and was setting the dining table as the others shuffled silently into the room. 

The smile Zane had faded into concern. “ Would the noodles and veggies I have prepared change this sour mood everyone appeared to be in?” He thought to himself. He knew this routine well, the meal wouldn’t change anything, everyone would just grab their plates and leave saying nothing and he’d get maybe three “thank yous” out of five. 

To combat this he decided to at least initiate conversation. “The weather has been quite lovely the past few days, hasn't it?” he smiled again, hoping that it would help. 

Nya knew exactly what Zane was doing. “It was a little windy today but not horribly, would’ve been nice for flying a kite maybe.”

Kai rolled his eyes

“Ok so I’m just going to release the elephant that’s crushing this room, we’re all fucking miserable, no one really gives a shit about the weather.” everyone fell silent, Nya growled slightly having very little patience for her brother tonight. 

“Cole’s not here.” Jay’s depressed tone broke the silence, “you can say what’s really bothering you Kai.” he played with his noodles picking them up and dropping them repeatedly, having no interest in eating. Kai looked from jay back to the others and sighed trying to level his mood. 

“Cole needs help, like serious help that we can’t give him.” Kai started. “A lot of us are going through our own problems and we can’t be his crutch if he’s not willing to open up, the shit that's been going on lately has got to stop for everyone’s sake, and to be honest, I- I just want my friend back.” Kai’s voice got softer as he said the last part and the others’ facial expressions reflected the mood. 

Jay looked at Kai not speaking but his body language sent a message Kai was able to convey. “We care about him, we love him, and we all know he cares and loves us too but unless he finds a way to help himself,” he looked back to Jay who was now looking away. Kai opened his mouth to say something else but his sister beat him to it. 

“He’s going to have to leave until he can stop hurting us.” Nya stressed as silence consumed the room once more. 

Lloyd, who had remained silent, tried to find something to say that would comfort his teammates but he decided the only thing to do was side with Kai and his sister.   
  
“Look as much as I don’t want to admit it… Kai is right, we’ve all done everything we can to help and support Cole but, we have to focus on ourselves. We all have our own trauma and demons, we can’t fight his, he has to. Nya May be ri-“

Jay rose from his seat abruptly, slamming his hands on the table. “SO OUR SOLUTION IS TO MAKE HIM HOMELESS? FANTASTIC! FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC GUYS!” 

“Jesus Jay, calm down.” Kai stepped back in alarm. Jay did not calm down.

“WHAT? HE CAN’T JUST MOVE BACK IN WITH HIS DAD, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT MAN GIVES A FLYING SHIT ABOUT HIS SON WHO’S SAVED HIS SKIN AND ALL OF NINJAGO ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. WE’D JUST BE KICKING HIM INTO THE STREETS TO GET WORSE! THIS IS ALL SO FUCKED! ALL OF IT!” he shoved the table and quite literally stormed out; tiny sparks of electricity arcing across the floor with each step. 

Kai rolled his eyes again. “It was just a statement, why’d he have to explode like that? It’s not like it was happening right this second.” Nya, Lloyd and Zane shared a look.

Zane shook his head. “Regardless, He has a valid point.” 

* * *

  
  


Jay was making his way back to the quarters with full intent of telling Cole about everything that just went down. By the time he got to the door, he realized that wouldn’t help anyone. He instead decided to ask what’s going on one last time, give cole one last chance. 

Upon entering he noticed cole sitting in a chair staring out a window. He had earbuds in and didn’t stir when Jay approached him. Jay tapped his shoulder and he turned pulling the earbuds out.   
  


“Hey…” Jay dragged out in his “please don’t be loud I’m anxious right now” tone. “Whatcha up to?” 

Cole exhaled. “Trying to distract myself.”

“oh, well I, I can leave you alone.” Jay turned to walk back out but Cole stopped him. 

“No no, please, I’m actually relieved you came in.”

That was a first for jay, no one was ever relieved to see him, it was always more of an “oh Jay’s here” thing. 

“W-what? Earlier you were talking to me like I was the last person on the planet you wanted to see.” 

“I know, I’m sorry, you didn’t do anything wrong I just…” Cole stared out the window again, “I’ve been bottling up things and the cork is starting to pop out.” He turned his attention back to Jay. “And I don’t know how to accept help, I just… i just keep pissing everyone and myself off. I’ve started an awful cycle and I don’t know how to break it.” 

“I can help you Cole, I hope you know that.” 

“Yeah I know, you only tell me everyday.” Cole jestered. “But I never tell you that I appreciate it.” 

“Y-you do? But…” 

“But I never say anything, yeah… but I am now, that’s what matters.” the two fell silent. Jay, not really sure what to say next, was trying to prevent overstepping. He wasn’t sure why his friend was suddenly telling him this, maybe he overheard everyone? 

Cole spoke again after some time. “I’m not ready to get into deep details, I just needed to hear that you were still willing to stick with me till I got there.” 

Jay managed a weak smile. “I’m never gonna throw you out like a sack of sweaty socks, you’re still my best friend.” Cole nodded. “But,” Jay started again, “ You have to stop using us all as punching bags and expecting everyone to be ok with that.” Cole frowned at the floor. He knew that, but it still wasn’t easy to hear. “You’re right… I owe everyone an apology ten times over with how I’ve been acting.” he smiled weakly at jay again. “Thanks Jay, for being a better friend than I ever could be .” 

He went to pop his ear buds back in but he stopped and held one of the buds out to Jay. “I’ve been listening to this song a lot recently, It helps a little bit because I kind of resonate with it.” Jay knelt next to the chair, popped the earbud in, and Cole hit play.

The somber guitar intro filled their ears.

* * *

  
  
  


_ “But despite what you’ve been told, I once had a soul” _

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Jay found himself hugging Cole tightly before the song ended. Cole squeezed back, tears in the corners of his eyes. “I don’t understand why you stick with me, you get the worst of my bullshit.” Cole questioned looking at the ground. 

“Because I know you’re doing it to isolate yourself and I don’t want to watch you slip away.” 

“Please don’t let me drive everyone out.” 

“Trust me Cole, I won’t.”


End file.
